I mean I understand, but in the case of .33333333333333… isnt it actually represented as “point three repeating”
Comment on Kid gave a reasonable answer without all the math bullshit
gerryflap@feddit.nl 3 weeks agoImo fractions are way more simple in many cases than decimal numbers. Saying 1/3rd is way more useful than hitting someone with the 0.33333333333333… Quick mental computations with fractions are also simpler in this case. Though this question (and questions like it) seem useless to me indeed.
Anti_Iridium@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
gerryflap@feddit.nl 3 weeks ago
Possible, but at least in my experience most normal people know 1/3rd and understand what it means, but if I’d throw a “point three repeating” at them they’d probably get confused. Fractions are just a tool to communicate stuff more efficiently, good in some scenarios, confusing in others. It would be cool if we could teach everyone the “repeating” syntax as well because it’s another useful tool.
Vinstaal0@feddit.nl 3 weeks ago
Or just say 33%?
beegnyoshi@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
33.33333333333…%, you mean?
Vinstaal0@feddit.nl 3 weeks ago
In 99/100 of the situations people do not care about you saying 33% instead of 1/3 or 33,3333333333% or 33,33…%
goldfndr@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
Shocking twist: boldly estimating 99/100 of situations is less accurate (more hyperbolic) than asserting 33% or ⅓ or whatever is accurate.
gerryflap@feddit.nl 3 weeks ago
In many cases that’s fine, I’ve done so regularly. But when you want to be precise without making it complicated you can just say the fraction as well. But in order to do that you need people to feel comfortable with it, therefore we need to teach kids this from a young age. I’m not saying we always need them, but they’re definitely very useful tools that you want at the ready when you need them. To make quick calculations in your head it’s often way simpler to use the fraction than the real number. And in cases like 1/3rd or 3/7ths it’s a way simpler, accurate and more efficient way to communicate the number than to name the rounded number.
Vinstaal0@feddit.nl 3 weeks ago
At least where I am from we do get fractions in school.
Most people here will say “een derde” aka a 3rd, but it is mostly not used as a precise measurement or anything. Something like 3/7th is rarely used andd we would say 42,9%. In cases where the differences that create are relevant we would communicate it on paper or digitally where iirc we would still use percentages or decimals. Then again I am an accountant and not a technical analysist or anything. For me the difference between 42,9% and 42,85714 will mean a couple thousand at most.
Doesn’t imperial metrics also use frations from time to time? Metric doesn’t do that, but we have things like nanometers etc.
gerryflap@feddit.nl 3 weeks ago
I’m also Dutch so I don’t have the answers about the imperial system haha